Category Archives: Guest Authors/ Events

Do you consider yourself a logophile? If so, have you always been? I have been a logophile since I was in the third grade. I started looking up words without being told to.

What is your favorite color? Has to be coral.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up? I was born on the mean streets of Detroit and grew up there until my Freshman year in High School. We moved to the suburbs then.

What is your favorite football team? Pittsburg Steelers

Who is your favorite author? Kurt Vonnegut

What is your favorite book? Has to be Jailbird by Kurt Vonnegut followed by Catch 22 by joseph Heller.

What do you do when you are not writing? I am restoring my 1978 Toyota FJ 40 Land Cruiser

Do you have a day job as well? I do not have a day job. I am a full time writer, I do occasionally consult with big business types.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? My advice would be to write every day even if it is only a few words. Do not worry about building a platform until you have at least one finished work ready to go. Then start the next and begin building a marketing plan.

Is being a writer a curse or a gift? Writing is both. The gift is when others enjoy the work and understand exactly what you had intended to convey. It is a curse when the opposite occurs which it always does.

Where do you write? I live by the Gulf of Mexico so I write at the dining room table which has a view of the water.

Do you prefer silence or some noise while you write? I like 70’s rock when working on a novel and silence when composing poetry. I actually wrote my current novel listening to my iPod. I put it on shuffle and use noise reducing earplugs for a total wipeout.

What do you typically drink while writing? I drink water. I have a pint Mason Jar that I fill with ice and drink away. On Friday night a similar jar is filled with Margarita and consumed after the writing is done.

What challenges have you had in regards to your writing life? The only real challenge came after I decided to go the traditional publishing route. I did a lot of queries and finally landed a contract.

When did you first start and when did you finish your book? I started my book on April 1 (no joke) and finished August 8th. It was a total of 89,000 words.

If your book is made into a movie, which actors/actresses do you envision playing the parts? I would like Matthew McConaughey to play the role of my protagonist John J. Cannon. I have a nice part for Gwyneth Paltrow as well.

What does your protagonist think of you? Would he/she want to hang out with you? John J. Cannon is a San Francisco lawyer who wants to take a leave of absence to become a charter captain. He comes to visit the town I live in and we have become fast friends. I sometimes have him over fro dinner or we meet for drinks at one of the local bars. He has a 65 foot Hatteras Coverable fisherman boat so he is a good friend to have.

How do you market your book? What avenues work best? My book will be published later this year by Martin Sisters Publishing and I intend to do book signings, local interviews, special book events and a bunch of social media marketing.

What has been the toughest criticism so far? Really haven’t had any however I believe there will be some.

What has been the best compliment? My editor said the voice was strong and the story well paced

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination? I have some vignettes that are based on experience but the story line is totally made up.

How did you come up with the title? The working title is My GRL which is the name of John’s boat

Will there be a sequel? yes. The main evil doer gets away and we need to get him in the next book

What project are you working on now? I am 60,000 words into the sequel and trying to master some poetry forms

What question did I leave out that you’d like to answer? Do you do any other kind of writing? Well, I also write short stories and have done some copywriting

Please fill in the blank: Keep Calm and Kick Some Butt while Writing On

Warren Brown is the author and owner of Cake Love. He left his career in law to pursue his baking passion and opened his first bakery in 2002. Now there are several CakeLove locations in the Washington D.C. area. He’s the author of CakeLove in the Morning, CakeLove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch, and United Cakes of America. At the book event, I purchased a copy of CakeLove in the Morning for my friend and co-worker Terry, as part of her retirement gift. (She was a Home Ec teacher before she was a school counselor and she’s an amazing cook & baker, unlike me, so she’ll put this book to good use). This book includes recipes for muffins, scones, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, frittatas, and other breakfast treats. I purchased several mini cupcakes which were all delicious, including: Vanilla, Red Velvet, Coconut, & Raspberry. My friends and I also tasted one of Warren’s cake creations in a jar- it was a mix of chocolate cake, peanut butter, and cream cheese and it was heavenly! Here are some pictures from the event including my mini cupcakes, CakeLove storefront, me & Warren Brown, & CakeLove in the Morning book.

On Thursday, May 2, my friend Kristi and I attended Wendy Higgins “Sweet Peril” Book Event at the Hilton Garden Inn in Shirlington, VA. “Sweet Peril” is the sequel to the “Sweet Evil” trilogy. If you enjoy Paranormal Romance, you’ve got to read this series!